1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an IC card system compatible with an existing bank account system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recent times have come to be known as the "cashless age", where people can purchase commodities without paying in cash; instead using a credit card issued by a credit card company.
Known examples of conventional credit cards include bank cards, plastic cards, embossed cards, magnetic stripe cards, and the like. However, due to their particular structure, these cards can be easily forged and then use illegally.
In order to solve the above problems, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,906,460, 3,971,916, 4,105,156, 4,211,919, and 4,382,279, an IC (integrated circuit) card has been proposed wherein an IC circuit storing a personal identification number (also known as a "PIN") and the like is built into a card so as not to read out the personal identification number. Such an IC card system, combining the IC card and card terminal, has been developed.
In view of the recent practical application of the IC card system, introduction of IC card system is discussed in banks.
Conventional IC card systems are quite different from an existing bank account system. Therefore, the existing system cannot be directly used, and an economical loss is considerable.
Since, in a conventional bank account system using a magnetic stripe card, the on-line system is suspended during holidays and at night, real-time account transactions cannot be performed, and improvement thereof is also demanded.
In the conventional bank account system using the magnetic stripe card, a customer wishing to pay money into the account of a third party must fill out a specified bank form, including such details as the payee's account number and the like, and then take it to a cashier.
Obviously, such a transaction is cumbersome and time-consuming, and sometimes is rejected because of erroneous filling out of the form. The inconvenience of performing such a transaction becomes even more apparent when it must be carried out on a regular basis--for example, when it is the same payee in each transaction. Naturally, therefore, anything which offers to simplify, and thus speed-up, such transactions would be welcomed.
In addition, since many of the above cards are designed for a specific purpose, such as a credit card, a debit card, and so forth, this will often result in the cardholder having to carry a number of different cards at all times, with the inconvenience that this entails.
The present invention has been conceived in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide an IC card system which is compatible with an existing bank account system without great expenditure and which allows off-line transactions to be performed by use of an IC card.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an IC card system which enables simple, error-free payment to be made into a specified bank account, by using data associated with remittance operation stored in an IC card.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an IC card system in which a single IC card can function as a credit card, a debit card, and the like, thereby simplifying the cardholder's card-carrying requirements and resulting in greater convenience of use.